Letters to the Editor - May 28, 2010

Friday

May 28, 2010 at 3:15 AM

Nonprofit misdirection

To the editor: We've all now read the last four articles over the last week concerning the controversial purchase of land for the local nonprofit health care center, Avis Goodwin Community Health Center. As I review the articles I find only the same repeated and insufficient arguments in defense of why the center would not and did not consider the county land offer.

The county's offer is a non-profits' dream come true ($1 per year for 100 years)! I found the only reasons given for the decision to purchase the land from the executive directors' husband (a commercial realtor) versus accepting the county's offer merely explained the restrictive nature of some of the basic funding sources researched and considered; which in the end, if you read carefully, weren't even the sources utilized! So, those arguments are moot. To add to the insufficient defenses, buses do now and have for some time, run through the County Farm Road properties and should the health care center chosen county land, the bus service routes could have definitely and would most assuredly been increased to meet the demand for access to health care.

The problem as I see it stands with and between the agency's executive director and her husband, the realtor. Any recusal of her board of director vote is absolutely irrelevant and controversial when you're intimate with the realtor! Who in the world would believe, as we're being told, that they're not discussing such matters at home? Perhaps we should be considering "pillow talk"?

I find the entire matter indefensible that folks in such positions of respect and power would have or could have considered the land purchase from her husband ethical or even moral. We all know that real estate has taken a terrible downturn in this economy, but it seems it was more important to profit from dollars meant for the agency's new construction. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to have spent these dollars aiding their patient's needs? It just doesn't seem right from any aspect. The whole deal smells rotten.

Jasper SalachDover

Please vote

To the editor: When voting this year think about where we are and where we are going.

If we expect to bring spending and taxation under control we need a proven leader.

Frank Guinta, a leader with character, does not say he is an American and then forget, "of the people, by the people, for the people". He has stated that when he walks onto the floor of Congress he will have the Constitution in hand and be asking if the Legislature will follow it's guidelines. As the mayor of Manchester, he was able, through bipartisanship, to pass tax cuts and cut spending. He consolidated departments, cut wasteful spending and brought responsibility and fiscal management to the city's departments. The implementation of Compstat Crime Statistic Program and adding more police officers to the streets Mr. Guinta significantly reduced crime in the city. As a House Representative Frank Guinta will bring some thing to the beltway a lot of counterparts lack: responsibility, accountability, character and American ideals.

Whatever party you are, we all need to send people like Frank Guinta to Congress, before our children don't have the America that stands for liberty and justice for all and an America that promises freedoms and dreams for all that wish to work for it. He wants to work for us and our future. He will help bring back the two party system. We all should get out and vote and we all need to send Frank Guinta to Congress.

Rene Bonnin Hampton

CFS Awareness Day reminder

To the editor: As a local resident, I am writing to ask you to educate the public and health care professionals about chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). My life has been affected by this serious, yet misunderstood disease, and I am asking you to help raise awareness about CFS. May 12 was recognized as international CFS Awareness Day. Now would be an optimal time for you to cover the effects of this condition on our community and nation.

I suffered for years before getting a diagnosis and even then treatment options are only for the symptoms and not the disease itself!

I am still suffering to this day. Luckily I found a good doctor but even they are not a miracle worker. The government poorly funds this research and people are needlessly suffering for decades and decades!

CFS affects at least one million American adults and teens, yet fewer than 20 percent of people with it have been diagnosed. Most people don't understand its serious and long-lasting effects. CFS is characterized by severe exhaustion, disabling problems with memory and concentration, widespread muscle and joint pain and persistent flu-like symptoms. Research has documented defects in the brain and many body systems, but we still don't know what causes it and treatment is limited to managing symptoms to improve function and quality of life. A new retrovirus, XMRV, has been linked to CFS and new research is going on all over the world to understand its role in CFS.

The name CFS is misleading and research shows that people with CFS are as disabled as those with multiple sclerosis, people undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, and battling late-stage AIDS. Each year it costs our economy as much as $25 billion in medical costs and lost productivity.

You can help deliver credible information to the public and the health care community so people recognize the symptoms and understand better what people with CFS experience.

If you're new to the topic of CFS, please read the article published in the spring 2010 issue of Pain Practitioner at http://www.cfids.org/about-cfids/pain-practitioner-spring2010.pdf. Its authors are from the CFIDS Association of America, the nation's largest organization dedicated to conquering CFS, and staff there can help put you in touch with experts and patients who will speak on the record. You can find more information at www.cfids.org.

Gaston GinguesHampton

Support for Pierce

To the editor; I'm supporting Will Pierce for state rep from Kittery. I've known Will for awhile and believe that if elected will do a great job for Kittery and Maine. I believe will has nothing to hide. What you see is what you get. He is not or is he related to a lobbyist in Washington D.C.

David KenneyKittery Point, Maine

Sensible solution

To the editor: I drive 1 ½ hours to work every day; it offers me the opportunity to think about the mess we're currently in here in New Hampshire, heck the entire U.S.

The unemployment situation has gotten out of control. Sadly it's not because there aren't any jobs, it's because it's easier to "collect a check." If I hear one more time: "Hey, I can't find a job that will pay me $400 a week, to do nothing" I'll scream. It's sad and it's addictive, and the government is the "Pusher"

There's no more talk about jobs on the news; we've all settled into the fact that the government screwed up our economy and now we just have to wait.

I was in that position, I didn't wait …As I said I drive 1 ½ hours every day. I hate it, but I'm proud that I'm taking care of myself.

The solution I would like to propose: Work for benefits. It's simple; our states and towns are broke. We have things that need to be done. You want unemployment benefits, work for it. Clock a minimum of 20 hours of community service every week you want to collect a pay check.

The results: Bridges get painted, lawns get mowed, community centers are attended or cared for. Backlogs in the assistance programs are cleared. A mothers' group is formed to swap day care so classes can be attended; actual job seeking can be accomplished. A new skill is learned and pride is restored.

It's really just that simple.

You tell me … Will any government official even try to restore their town's honor? Or will they be afraid to stop the hand outs?

JoEllen GallantBarrington

What about ...

To the editor: I keep hearing and reading about skepticism regarding energy sources from food supplies. I have to ask: What of distilled alcohols? What about the "corn squeezens," the potato-vodka, rye gin, fruit wines and brandies, wheat whiskies and even fermented horse milk? Do we deprive countless dying peoples because of the recreational uses of these foods?

There are several plants that can supply oils that are pure enough to burn as jet fuel, straight out of the seed. We can grow those easily. In some areas, we already do so.

Let us not confuse ourselves. Corn does take a lot of work to grow. So do cane or beet sugars, also sources of alcohol. Proper care of the land is all that's needed to keep the fertility available for other crops or a surfeit for new uses — like fuels that are renewable at need. The oil companies would like us to believe they are invulnerable. In truth, they are investing like mad in renewable energy sources so they won't be left out of the profits!

Diane M. StarkeyRochester

Overriding thoughts

To the editor: Sunday's article about Dover's tax cap override ("Tax cap override dominates…") made me recollect a friend's recent overarching question: what specific public services truly need to be performed by public employees?

As I read the article, it seemed to me that municipalities asking if they can live with one less firefighter are missing a critical point – is firefighting a public service that should be provided by public employees? Other obvious 'yes' answers would be police. But really, beyond cops and firemen, how many other public services truly need to be performed by public employees? I would argue very few. So, here is the challenge as we look at our municipal, county and state budgets: how long can we survive cutting one more fireman or one more teacher? My sense is we are at the end of that approach.

Here is an online article describing what West Springfield, Massachusetts did with its school district's special ed program: www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=6940.

In summary, they outsourced the entire program to a third party, no jobs were lost, they maintained service quality, and they saved about $200,000 annually for 175 students. Yowza, how is that possible? Public sector employees were moved to the private sector where 401(k) retirement and private sector health care systems are utilized instead of the more expensive public sector systems. So, as cities, towns and states look at its own employment and services – really – other than cops and probably the mayor, is any public service truly required to be provided by a public employee? Would Frisbee, Wentworth Douglas, Portsmouth Regional, and the Visiting Nurses Association be willing to bid for health and nursing services provided in our towns and schools? Would local accounting and appraisal firms be willing to bid to do the accounting, tax assessment and finance work currently performed by public employees? Would private sector employment services companies do our HR, administrative assistant and other support services just as well as our towns do them but for lower costs? Would Barnes & Noble do a good job running our libraries? Could the local YMCA run our recreation departments.? How many local technology companies would cut their arm off to be the virtual in-house IT department for a couple of towns and counties? Are local trucking, site work and property management companies equipped to mow our parks, repair and plow our streets? You bet they are. Significant outsourcing of public services (i.e. entire departments) to the private sector can provide equal or better services and a) significantly reduce near term budgets, b) significantly reduce long term state pension obligations, and c) increase state franchise taxes paid via the services newly outsourced to for-profit service providers. Win, win, win. We don't need to increase class sizes or have fire trucks half staffed. Instead, can we shift a job or entire public sector departments to the private sector, achieve equal or better services, save short and long term costs, and grow our private sector tax base? Yes, we can.

Luke PickettStratham

Wait a minute

To the editor: Recently, President Obama while ridiculing Arizona for doing his job on illegal immigrants took time out to exhort young blacks, Latinos and women to give him another victory in the upcoming 2010 elections.

Wait a minute. He wants the demographic he is putting the screws to the most with Obamacare to help him with another democrat congress? Is he serious? I guess he thinks the young voters won't notice how Obamacare new taxes, fines and fees will keep them locked in a position of subserviency for all their adult working life. That's right. We are all going to take a massive hit but the working young people will bear the brunt of the trillions of new cost he has jammed at us. If they dare to try to build a family and raise children, each of them will be born with a $45000.00 debt statement attached to their toes like a name tag.

"We the people" are the answer to this madness. Remember in November and vote, vote, vote.

John SangenarioHampton

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.